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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23692576">Day 107</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard'>Josh_the_Bard</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Year in Kirkwall [107]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:42:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,158</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23692576</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Year in Kirkwall [107]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Day 107</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Paxley’s squire had him armored up and ready to go in record time and he was on the first boat out of the Gallows after word came in. There had been another escape. Cedric was a senior enchanter, not the sort who normally tried for freedom. Keran and Alain were on the boat as well, along with a few knights fresh into their oaths. And of course, the Seeker had appeared as they were leaving, the man never seemed to be far any time anything unusual happened.</p><p>Paxley hadn’t seen any indication that the man was indeed a seeker. Presumably, Meredith had, but would she know forgeries to see them.</p><p>“How did the escape happen?” The Seeker asked, leaning uncomfortably close to Paxley. He had spoken just enough that his words reached Paxley but would have been carried off by the wind and away from the rest of the group. The other templars had been talking all week about the seeker and his questions. Usually he would get someone alone, always the aim seemed to be keeping the conversations private. Something was going on with him, at the very least he was hoping for dirt on Meredith. Well Paxley would not hold beck for her sake.</p><p>“Cedric was a senior enchanter,” He explained. “He had never acted against the templars or given any indication he wanted to escape or use blood magic. Orsino is relentless in pushing for mages such as he to be given less oversight. Meredith has relented somewhat and the mage was conducting unsupervised research this afternoon. That was when he escaped.”</p><p>The seeker nodded at that bus said nothing more to Paxley for the rest of the trip. Paxley watched him talk to each of the templars, and Alain, in turn but no one said more than two words to the man.</p><p>The phylactery led them to Darktown; not that Paxley would have needed magical guidance to get that far. They always ran to Darktown, hoping to lose themselves in the sewers. From Darktown the phylactery led them deep into the unexplored tunnels that ran under Kirkwall. Alain used his staff to cast some light. It had a sickly blue tint to it, Paxley much preferred to comforting glow of torchlight but he liked having both hands free more.</p><p>“It seems like this city is especially well designed for those who do not wish to be found,” said the Seeker.</p><p>“That’s why we try to keep the robes from escaping in the first place,” Paxley replied. “Of course that doesn't always work and hence…” he gestured to the group.</p><p>Paxley could sense the magic being used as they descended further into the tunnels.</p><p>“As a senior enchanter Cedric will have considerable magical power at his disposal,” Paxley said to his group. “Our only chance is to go in fast and take him down before he can bring his magic to bear. Strike to kill: he had significant talent with healing magic.” Paxley held up a hand to silence Keran before the man even opened his mouth to speak. Anything he had to say Paxley had heard a thousand times already. He wondered sometimes if Keran really had been rescued by the Champion before being implanted with a demon. Knowing now that the Champion was, himself an apostate…</p><p>“They will be just inside here,” said the seeker pointing to a doorway. The phylactery seemed to agree, and the templars prepared to charge in.</p><p>“They probably heard us coming,” Paxly said. “Count on speed rather than surprise”</p><p>“I will go in first,” said the seeker, pulling out a couple of throwing axes. He looked to Paxley “On your order knight.”</p><p>Paxley counted them down and the seeker kicked down the door. Paxley was right on his heels but Cedric was already dead when Paxley entered the room, an axe buried deep in the man’s skull. There was another mage present, a female elf, her face was familiar but Paxley could not place the name. It didn’t matter. He felt her reaching for magic and he instinctively drained the mana from her. Whatever spell she had planned, dier before it left her fingertips. She stumbled back as the other templars poured into the room. The elf drew a dagger and Paxley dropped into a defensive position, ready to meet whatever physical attack she might try.</p><p>“I will not go back,” she shouted and plunged the dagger into her own chest. She dropped to her knees and ripped the dagger free, spilling her blood all over the floor. Paxley didn’t trust that this wasn’t some trick and lopped her head off for good measure.</p><p>With both mages dead, they had a moment to survey the room. Cedric had fresh cuts on his arm like he had been doing blood magic. There were vials of lyrium and drake’s blood on a table along with a few other alchemical ingredients. A map of the Bone Pit lay on the table. All signs indicated that these were the mages that had been sighted the other night. The signs pointed that way a little too well for Paxley’s liking. His gut said that something was amiss.</p><p>“Collect everything here for examination,” he said. “We need to figure out what they were trying to do here.”</p><p>Alain and Keran began categorizing everything and preparing it for travel. The other templars went outside to keep watch. It wasn't long before the shouting started.</p><p>Paxley and the seeker left the room to see a humanoid figure glowing with blue light.</p><p>“The demon of Darktown,” a templar whispered. Meredith had thought she had killed the thing months ago but apparently not.</p><p>“You will pay for the injustice you have committed today,” it roared and fired a bolt of lightning at the templars. Someone was hit directly and the electricity arched into the others, Paxley included. The next attack was a stone fist that slammed harmlessly into the wall by the doorway.</p><p>Paxley was struggling to his feet when the ax connected with the demon. The Seeker snapped his fingers and there was a burst of energy accompanied by a blinding light. When Paxley could see again, the demon was gone. The doorway to the room had collapsed, trapping Keran and Alain inside, none of the templars outside had been killed, thankfully, although the one who took the brunt of the lightning burst would need healing.</p><p>The seeker had run off after the demon so Paxley made the decision to head back to the gallows for reinforcements, as well as to find someone to tend to the injured.</p><p>“Keran,” he called. “If you can hear me we are coming back for you just hold on.” He hated leaving one of the order behind but they were in no condition to dig them out right now and it was too dangerous to leave a guard behind. Hopefully Keran could hold out long enough for help to reach him.</p>
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